


do you hear me calling for you?

by peachyboymyg



Category: Big Bang (Band), SHINee
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Nightmares, One Shot, One Shot Collection, Other, Sick Character, Sickfic, Tags May Change, and probably bad, these are old
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2020-10-19 12:46:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20657486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachyboymyg/pseuds/peachyboymyg
Summary: collection of one shots from fandoms other than bts!(posting every sunday until caught up!)1. t.o.p x reader - please2. taemin x oc - secret fan3. key x oc - in sickness4. onew x oc - sketches5. minho x reader - sweatshirts and kisses6. key x oc - nightmares and tears





	1. please (t.o.p. x reader)

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys! im currently in the middle of working on a BIG story but I don't want to post until I have enough chapters racked up SO! i'm going to be posting some fairly old (and honestly really bad) oneshots here and in my other collection. these are unedited and completely mixed so there will be readers and oc's in here.

video games were always fun when you were with someone else. even if that someone else was just sitting there. not playing. just… reading.

now don’t take that the wrong way. reading was fun. but when you invited your long-time friend seunghyun over to play, you actually meant play.

and yet here he was, nose buried in a book he had brought over. you shot him another glance, the motionless man not even noticing. you sighed obnoxiously, returning to whatever game you’d decided to play that night.

the two of you sat in silence, minus your occasional grunts of frustration. of course you had to choose the game you’d been stuck on for so long.

“crap!” you shouted, startling the poor man next to you as you slammed your controller down. seunghyun looked over to you, eyes wide as you glared at the game over message on the screen. “i hate this game. why did i even buy it?”

seunghyun reached over, placing his hand over yours gently. it brought you back to reality as you looked over to him. his previous expression was replaced with a softer one, and you just blinked back at him. this was the first time you’ve seen him with this look.

“ah, i’m fine.” you responded to the unspoken question hanging in the air, waving your free hand dismissively. “don’t worry about it, hyung. this is normal.”

he raised an eyebrow at your comment. “normal?” he repeated, giving you a look that meant he didn’t quite believe you. you scoffed at it, rolling your eyes and turning away from him.

“yeah yeah. normal.” you pulled away from him, returning your attention to the game. you felt a little unsettled by his previous actions, for what reason you weren’t quite sure. in the years you’ve known him, he’s never quite been the one to initiate contact. it’s always been you.

once again the silence returned as seunghyun went back to his book. you, of course, went back to your game, but it was clear that you were more distracted this time around.

seunghyun would glance up from time to time, watching you quietly get your butt kicked to some cpu in the game. eventually he got so absorbed in watching you he’d lost his place in his book, but he didn’t really care. you were so focused on the game that you hadn’t even realized how close he had gotten ‘til you went to pull back and practically elbowed him in the stomach.

seunghung let out a muffled sound, grabbing your elbow before you could do any serious damage. your eyes went wide when you actually realized the situation, but you were too startled to doing anything about it. the two of you were inches apart, with you only reacting when your noses brushed together.

you shot off the couch like a bullet, tripping over either your own feet or the small ottoman, who really knew here? you pushed yourself across the small room, backing up against the opposite wall with a furious blush on your face.

“what the fuck is wrong with you?”

seunghyun looked a little surprised at your comments. after all, it wasn’t very often you slipped up and cursed. you had lost your controller somewhere in the confusion, the game over music playing out in the silence. he didn’t answer for quite some time, and you started to wonder just how much time was passing.

“i’m… sorry?” he finally spoke up, his eyes boring holes into you. you gave him a confused look, showing that you clearly didn’t understand anything that was happening.

“that doesn’t answer my question, seunghyun.” you shot back, straightening yourself against the wall as he got up to approach you. he crouched down in front of you, reaching out to you hesitantly. “you’re acting extremely weird today and i don’t like it.”

he didn’t say anything back, brushing his hand against your knee instead. you had yourself trapped in some sort of corner, which made it hard to get past your best friend without bumping into him. frowning, you swatted at him, trying to get him out of your little bubble.

“seriously, dude. what’s up with you?” you asked as you tried your best to stand up, looking for a way out. he followed your actions, immediately moving closer to you. you could feel your heart speed up at the lack of distance between the two of you, staring up at seunghyun. he had his arms on either side of you, trapping you to the wall.

“y/n… you know i have feelings for you, right?” he said quietly, sending shivers down your spine. this was not the time for you to get all nervous here! you put your hands against his chest when you realized he was getting closer. this was not happening.

“seunghyun-” you struggled against him, doing your best to keep him off of you. “get away! stop!” you smacked your hands against his chest, startling him out of whatever trance he seemed to be in. he blinked at you, eyes wide as he suddenly stepped back, allowing you the freedom you’ve been trying to get. you slipped past him, moving so you were a comfortable distance away.

“y/n, i-”

“i think you should leave.” you cut him off, motioning to the door. you couldn’t meet his eyes, holding your arms over your chest for a security.

“wait, please. let me explain.” he stepped towards you, but you immediately stepped away. it was clear you didn’t want him anywhere near him.

“i don’t want to hear it right now. just leave.”

“please-”

“get out!” you shouted, jerking your arm towards the door. he looked startled by the sudden volume spike in your voice, retrieving his book from the couch before shuffling to the door. he glanced at you from over his shoulder, an unreadable expression on his face before he finally left, shutting the door behind him.

you immediately collapsed to the floor, curling up where you had landed. what a ride.

* * *

_ “hey.” _

_ “are you there?” _

_ “y/n please answer me.” _

_ “i can explain everything.” _

_ “just give me a chance.” _

_ “y/n?” _

_ “why won’t you answer me?” _

_ “do you hate me now?” _

_ “i really am sorry.” _

_ “please… just… answer me.” _

the messages were never ending. it had been a few days since the incident between you and seunghyun, but you still hadn’t been able to process it fully. the memory replayed in your head on loop, haunting your every dream and waking thought.

what had gotten into him?

you were currently nestled on your couch, blanket wrapped tightly around you with a choice drink in your hand, staring blankly at the tv screen across from you. thoughts raced through your head as you tried to get everything under control. it was a jumbled mess, but all you knew was that two things stood out.

how fast your heart had raced during the whole ordeal. and how much you had wanted him to go through with whatever his plan was.

your phone buzzed from the ottoman again, lighting up against the dark leather. you frowned at it, knowing exactly who it was. it was only a matter of time before he came banging at your door. sighing, you reached for it, clicking it on as you scrolled through the messages.

_ “can i please explain?” _

you’d never seen him say please so much before. taking a minute to compose yourself, you finally set to responding.

_ “what do you want, seunghyun?” _

his response was almost immediate, and you wondered if he’d been waiting for you this whole time.

_ “thank god. i want to talk to you. to explain and apologize correctly.” _

you weren’t sure you were ready for this. what if this ruined the friendship you guys had? what if you didn’t return his feelings?

but what if you did?

you stared down at the screen for a while, thinking things over for the hundredth time.

_ “okay.” _

wow, go you.

you sat back, waiting for his what-would-be long message. it seemed like it took forever for him to respond, but eventually your phone buzzed in your hand.

_ “listen, y/n. i didn’t mean to make things awkward that night. i don’t actually know what came over me, but ever since then i’ve been rethinking my feelings.” _

you really didn’t want to deal with this right now. you also didn’t really have a choice.

_ “i know we have a very good friendship, one that i don’t have with any other person than you. but the more i think about it, the more i think that i might…” _

his message cut off there, and the typing bubble went away for a bit. you didn’t know if you were to respond, or wait, or what. so you just sat there, staring at the small screen in your hand as you waited for the next part of your message.

a soft knock at your door - that also slipped past you - jolted you out of your trance. sliding off the couch with your blanket still wrapped around you, you sauntered over to the door and opened it.

seunghyun was standing there with a sheepish look on his face, rubbing the back of his head. he was looking anywhere but you, but the blush on his face was very evident to you. you stared up at him, quiet, as you waited for whatever was about to happen.

finally he looked down at you, acting like he was almost scared to. you didn’t blame him. the last time you saw each other, you had screamed at him to leave.

you offered him a small smile, something to hopefully make him feel a little better. he blinked at you before breaking out into a grin, suddenly picking you up in a tight hug. you squeaked, throwing your arms around his neck to keep from falling.

finally, he loosened his grip enough so you could breathe comfortably, but refused to let you go. the two of you stood like that for some time, just kind of staring at each other until seunghyun leaned his forehead against yours.

“i’m sorry for how i acted, y/n.” he said quietly, staring at the floor. you looked a bit surprised, not expecting the sudden apology. “i don’t know what i was thinking. i just-”

you stepped towards him a bit, capturing his lips with yours. he made a muffled sound of surprise, frozen in shock. when you pulled away, the soft blush on your face was evident, but you made no move to hide it.

“you’re repeating yourself, seunghyun.” you said with a smile. the blank look on his face shifted into one of pure happiness as he picked you up again, twirling you inside with laughter. he stopped only to kiss you again, the smile never leaving his place.

_ “i think that i might love you.” _


	2. secret fan (taemin)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "welcome to korea!"
> 
> "these... are for me?"

maika stepped off her flight, looking around the airport as she looked for the luggage drop-off. she had just arrived in seoul on a spontaneous trip she had decided to go on. she tugged at her jacket that had shinee written on the back, straightening it as she grabbed her luggage and headed to the taxi waiting for her outside. stepping into the taxi, she closed the door and told the driver where to go, leaving the airport.

she stared out the window, glancing at the signs and shops as they passed. she couldn’t read anything, as she had yet to fluently learn the native language here. arriving shortly after at her hotel, she paid the driver and nodded a thanks, stepping out and heading inside.

_ knock knock. _

maika’s head whipped around from her spot in the hotel room she was currently renting. who would come here at this hour? more importantly, who knew she was here? sliding off of her bed, she tucked her feet into her fuzzy white slippers, trotting over to the door.

“yes?” she said as she opened the door, her auburn hair swishing into her eyes as she stood frozen in the doorway.

“is this the room of maika juniper?” the red haired boy in front of her read the slip of paper in his hand, his eyes flicking up to her after he spoke. she let out a squeak, nodding quickly as realization settled into her mind. “ah! good!”

“w-was there something you needed?” maika replied, her heart pounding in her chest.

“oh, nothing of urgent importance, really. our band manager saw you with your merchandise of ours and we wanted to meet one of our fans!” the boy replied as four other boys gathered around her.

_ “is this her?” _

_ “she’s really cute, taemin!” _

maika wasn’t able to understand anything of what they said; however, she was able to pick out the name taemin, and soon the gears in her mind were turning.

“yeah, i know. give her space, don’t crowd her.” the boy, now deemed taemin, pushed his friends backwards before turning back to the startled girl in front of him. “don’t worry about them. we’re all friendly, maybe a little too much.”

taemin closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his head, his hair moving with his hand as he laughed nervously. maika’s eyes widened as she realized who they were.

“y-you’re…”

taemin’s eyes opened in surprise. “yes?”

“you’re shinee, the korean pop band.” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. taemin grinned as he nodded.

“that’s right.” a boy with dark brown hair that fell over his right eye stepped forward, a smile plastered onto his face. “i’m key. that’s minho, onew, jonghyun, and of course, taemin.”

they all bowed slightly, causing maika to step backwards in surprise. “y-yes, nice to meet you all as well.”

taemin smiled at her, his brown eyes sparkling with friendliness. “would you like to come hang out with us? it’s always great to get to know a fan, especially when they’re not from around here.”

“s-sure. just give me a minute to get ready.” she said, stepping back and shutting the door quietly. she leaned against it, hearing the boys on the other side conversing in their native language. she rushed to get ready, pulling on a pair of jeans and a random shirt from her suitcase. pulling it over her head, she slipped on her socks and shoes, running to the bathroom to finish up. she grabbed her brush, pulling it through her hair to make sure the tangles were out. her bangs swept to the side as she set it down, picking up her toothbrush and running it over her teeth. once she finished, she looked at herself in the mirror, her heart still racing in her chest as she turned around, heading for the door. it had grown quiet so she opened it slowly, staring up at a waiting key.

“ah! you’re finished. the others went ahead to the place we share to get ready for your arrival.” he smiled down at her. “shall we go? it’s a bit of a walk.”

“oh, alright. sure.” she said, closing the door behind her. they started their trek to the groups’ place, passing people along the street as they walked. she glanced around at the signs, unable to read anything. she was still learning how to speak korean, so she figured coming here would be a good idea, but so far she hasn’t been able to find anyone to teach her.

“are you alright?” key glanced down at the girl walking close to him. she nodded as confusion settled onto her face, her hair swishing with every move she made. “you’ll get used to it here.”

maika nodded, her blue eyes darting around at the different stores. she didn’t notice that key had stopped walking until she heard a soft laughter. she stopped walking, turning around as her eyes landed on the boy with a grin plastered to his face.

“this is our place.” he smiled at her, motioning to the apartment he stood by. an embarrassed blush coated her face as she hurried back to where he was standing. he chuckled as he opened the door, letting her go first. she stepped inside, instantly slipping off her shoes as key did the same. “we’re here!”

taemin came bounding into the room as key led maika to the kitchen. she let out a surprised yelp as taemin almost ran her over. key laughed quietly as taemin steadied himself, grinning sheepishly.

“if i knew you were that excited to see her again, we would’ve gotten here faster.” key said, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. taemin shot him a look as his cheeks were dusted with a light pink.

“hush, key. not now.” he said, glancing back over at maika as his red hair bounced with his movement. “i’m glad you decided to come over!”

she smiled shyly, nodding as she couldn’t find the words to speak. key raised an eyebrow, still smiling at the two of them. “where are the others, taemin?”

“the other room.” taemin replied, his eyes never leaving maika. she kept her eyes down as he spoke, trying to calm the raging fangirl inside of her. taemin tilted his head, bending down slightly to see her face. she glanced up at him, squeaking as she stumbled backwards in surprise, tripping over her own feet. his arms shot out instinctively, wrapping themselves around her waist as he caught her. he stared at her worriedly, confusion crossing his face as she stared back with wide eyes. “are you alright?”

“yes, i’m fine.” she said quietly as he pulled her up, steadying her. key shook his head, leaving them alone as he went to help the others. taemin’s arms never left their place as maika tried to calm her breathing, still a little shaky from the previous events. “thank you.”

“you’re welcome.” he replied, smiling down at her. she looked up at him, their eyes meeting. she smiled back, tilting her head down as she tried to fight the rising feelings.

“you can bring her in now.” minho stuck his head in through the doorway, instantly noticing how they were standing. “hey, look at you, taemin!”

taemin stepped backwards, his arms falling to his sides as he glared at minho. “you’re just as bad as key!”

minho snickered, apologizing before retreating to the other room. taemin reached out, gently taking maika’s hand in his with a smile. “come on, it’s ready.”

maika nodded as she stuck close to him. he led her to the other room, covering her eyes with his free hand. she stopped walking, causing taemin to stumble as he stopped walking.

“it’s alright. trust me.” he said, raising his hand once more to cover her eyes. she stared at him, slightly terrified, before pushing her head into his hand, letting him cover her eyes. he continued to lead her into the room, stopping her and uncovering her eyes slowly. she stared around at the guys who were all smiling at her, all holding small welcoming gifts.

“welcome to korea!” they said in unison, startling maika. she grinned nervously as taemin left her side, stepping out to get his own gift. onew and jonghyun held out their gifts, a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates. she took them, unsure of what to say. key stepped forward, holding out a small box before opening it, revealing a small ring. he took it out, grabbing her hand and slipping it on her right index finger. minho placed a huge stuffed bear in front of her, a big grin on his face.

“th-these are for me?” maika stuttered as taemin peeked his head around the doorway, an irritated look on his face.

“juniper, come with me.” taemin said, his eyes darting to key as he took the box and bouquet from her. maika scuffled over to taemin, staring up at him as he stood on the stairs. “i have a gift for you as well.”

taemin held out his hand for her to take. she nodded, placing her hand in his as he pulled her along. they reached his room as he turned around. “i want you to close your eyes until i tell you to look.”

“a-alright.” she replied with a bit of a stutter, closing her eyes as he opened the door. she could hear a chair moving and some papers shuffling, soon hearing nothing. taemin glanced back at her, placing a small, white doll on his desk before stepping back.

“you can look.”

she opened her eyes, instantly seeing the small doll. it had hearts and other shapes drawn onto it with what looked like fabric markers. she stepped into his room, walking over and picking it up carefully. taemin stepped behind her, his arms snaking around her waist once more as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

“did you make this?” she asked, turning it different ways so she could see all of it. taemin nodded against her, sighing softly.

“i couldn’t buy you anything like the others, so if it’s not as great as theirs then i understand.” he said softly, causing a twinge of sadness to shoot through maika. she twisted in his arms, startling him as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug, resting her head against his chest.

“are you kidding me? it’s wonderful. i love it.” she replied, staring up at him with a more confident smile. he returned it, leaning his head down at resting his forehead against hers. a light blush coated her face as the small ego she had developed washed away. “t-thank you.”

“you are welcome.” he said quietly, his eyes half closed as his own blush sprung to his face. he leaned closer to her, his smile faltering. she froze, staring up at him as their noses brushed against each other, causing her to jerk away slightly. taemin stepped back as she set the doll down, afraid to drop it and get it dirty.

“t-taemin?”

“yes, juni-”

“call me kai.” she stopped him, stepping closer to push a finger to his lips.

“yes, kai?” he replied as she removed her finger.

“why do you act differently than the others?” she said, tilting her head to the side, causing her hair to fall into her face. he brushed it away with a few fingers, letting them linger against her skin.

“it’s…”

“hey, taemin!” key said, popping his head in the doorway as he knocked against the open door. “we’re stepping out for a bit. we’ll be back.”

taemin pursed his lips as he held in a sigh. “okay. have fun.”

he waited until he heard the door shut before sighing, walking over to his bed and sitting on it. she continued to stand, staying in her spot as he rested his arms against his legs.

“you caught my attention.” he said simply, a light blush coating his face once more. she stepped closer, sitting down next to him as he laid back on his bed. “faster than any other girl around.”

“i did?” she replied, thinking. could he really feel the same thing she’s felt for years?

“i know it’s only been a few hours, but…” he trailed off, staring at her as he sat up. “i don’t know how, but i feel something for you. it’s strong, too.”

she stared, keeping quiet as he wrapped his arms around her and hugging her. “it’s okay if you don’t feel the same. we did just meet, after all.”

“no, i’ve known about you guys for years. you always were my favorite.” she replied quickly, growing quiet again as she glanced over at him. his eyes were wide as she stared back. “i guess you could say i developed something for you.”

“k-kai…”

“it’s a silly notion. we’ve only just met, like you said, and you’re basically a worldwide celebrity. you’re still in school and you’ve got shinee to worry about. you don’t need someone like me hanging around h-”

he trapped her chin between his forefinger and thumb, pressing his lips to hers as he cut her off. her eyes went wide as his closed, his other arm pulling her closer to him. she eventually let herself react, leaning into the kiss before he pulled away.

“t-taemin.”

he laughed softly, shaking his head. “i guess you could say i love you.”

her blush deepened as she stared at him before smiling. “i suppose you could say i’ve loved you for years.”

taemin smile widened as he pulled her into a hug, his lips crashing against hers as he did. he pulled back for a moment, staring into her eyes as he continued to smile. “kai, please, be my girlfriend.”

maika grinned back, eyes filled with happiness as she nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down into another kiss.


	3. in sickness (key)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "let me take care of you..."

crystal laid on the soft couch that belonged to the korean pop band, shinee. she had met them through one of her friends who lived in korea at the time. slowly she had become best friends with each of them, eventually moving to korea to be closer to the boy band.

“yah, crystal!” the light voice of the maknae, taemin, floated to her ears. she sat up quickly, her vision going fuzzy as she turned to stare at the brunet. blinking, she tried to focus on his approaching figure.

“yes, taemin?” she said, her voice starting to become raspy. “what did you need?”

“did you want to go to the café with us?” he asked, motioning to the others who went to put on their shoes. she thought for a moment before glancing at him.

“sure, why not.” she smiled at him, swinging her legs over the edge of the couch as she stood up. her vision went blurry once more as she stumbled forward, catching herself quickly. taemin rushed to her side, helping her regain her balance as he stared worriedly. they had more of a sibling-like bond, so they protected each other on instinct.

“are you okay, noona?” he asked as she opened her eyes. staring at the floor, she took a few moments before replying.

“i think so.” she replied, raising a hand to her head. she started to become worried, wondering if something was wrong with her.

“let me help you to the door.” taemin frowned, keeping an arm around her as she nodded, using him for support. they met up with everyone at the front door as taemin helped crystal put her shoes on.

“key-hyung, can you help her up while i finish getting ready? she’s off balance and i don’t want something happening to her.” taemin asked, staring up at him as he glanced over.

“of course.” he bent over, wrapping his arms underneath of hers as he hoisted her to her feet. she stumbled slightly, falling against his thin body as her vision went white. he caught her, causing him to look down at her in worry. “are you going to be alright going out?”

“yes, i’ll be fine.” she replied, waving her hand dismissively as she pushed herself upright. key stared for a minute before nodding, following the others outside as taemin wrapped his arm around hers, locking them together.

“we won’t be out long. maybe you’ll feel better when you get something warm.” he smiled at her as onew locked the door behind them. they started their trek to the café, the pair walking in silence as the others talked quietly. crystal enjoyed the light breeze that drifted through the air. she kept close to taemin, making sure she’d have support in case something were to happen.

they eventually reached the café, walking in and taking a seat at one of the larger booths. onew, jonghyun and minho sat on one side as key slipped into the other. taemin motioned for crystal to sit down as a worried look crossed her face. key glanced up at her, tilting his head as he smiled at her, patting the spot next to him. she held back a sigh, sliding in as taemin followed. one of the waitresses sidled up, her outfit bouncing as she moved.

“welcome! do you know what you would like to order?” she smiled at the boys, her eyes passing over crystal entirely. the others started ordering as she sat back, waiting for her turn. when key had finally ordered, the waitress tapped her pen against the small notebook she held. “i will get right on that!”

“excuse me.”

her dark green eyes landed on crystal, a scowl twisting her face before she replaced it. “yes?”

“you didn’t take my order.” crystal said quietly.

“oh, i’m sorry.” she replied. “what did you want?”

crystal gave her the order, going quiet as she left. taemin patted her hand as he frowned. she gave him a small smile before leaning back, closing her eyes as she listened to the others talk.

the waitress returned moments later with their drinks, setting five glasses down before turning to get their food.

“um, pardon, miss.”

she turned around, a questioning look on her face as key frowned in confusion. “you forgot her drink.”

crystal kept her eyes closed. she could feel the icy stare from the waitress as she apologized and went to get it. sighing, she opened her eyes, glancing at key.

“thank you.”

key smiled at her, nodding as the waitress returned with the food and crystal’s drink. she took the mug from her, sipping the warm tea she ordered as the others ate around her. smiling contently, she stared into her cup, watching the few tea leaves float around as she moved it.

“are you hungry, noona?” taemin asked, causing her to glance over. she shook her head, smiling.

“you eat, taemin. it’s your food.” she replied, taking another sip from her drink. the others stared worriedly as she turned down the offer. she knew she hadn’t eaten all day, but she just wasn’t hungry.

“crystal, are you sure you don’t want anything?”

her eyes landed on key’s concerned face as he stared. she frowned, glancing down at her cup.

“eat something.” he pushed his plate towards her, picking up some of the food he ordered and holding it out to her with his chopsticks.

crystal stared as the others waited for her move, continuing to eat as key watched her. she sighed, leaning forward and taking the food into her mouth as she did. key smiled at her, pulling the plate back towards him as he started eating again.

they finished their food as taemin picked up the check, sliding out of the booth as the others followed. crystal climbed out carefully, making sure not to upset herself as key waited patiently. she stood up slowly, mentally sighing in relief as nothing happened.

someone placed a hand on her back as she glanced up. key stared down at her, smiling. “are you feeling better?”

she nodded, returning the smile. “much better.”

onew paid the check as they left, starting their walk back. taemin skipped along next to the others as crystal trailed behind, staring into the sky. her vision started to blur, slow at first before it completely disoriented her. she stumbled, falling to her knees as the others stopped, glancing back to see what the noises were. key rushed over as soon as he saw her on the ground, pulling her against him.

“what happened?” he asked quietly, lifting her onto her feet. she still couldn’t see properly, feeling like everything was spinning around her.

“i-i don’t know. i was just looking at the sky and all of a sudden my vision went fuzzy and i fell.” she replied, leaning against him for support. she felt tired, her whole body feeling heavy as he steadied her.

“come on, let me help you.” he bent down, motioning for her to climb onto his back. she hesitated, frowning as key glanced back. “it’s alright.”

she sighed, climbing onto his back as he stood up, wrapping his hands under her legs as she clung to him. the others started walking as key caught up with them, continuing their conversation as they went on their way. crystal rested her head on key’s shoulder, a light red colour covering her cheeks as she closed her eyes. she fell asleep soon after as key glanced over at her, smiling.

they arrived at their dorm as onew unlocked the door, letting the others in. key walked to the couch, laying her down with taemin’s help. key sat down next to her as she curled onto her side, opening her eyes. she looked up at key, her eyes half-closed as she pushed herself up, pressing against his side.

“you need to lay down.” he said worriedly as she winced, her movements painful. he lifted his arm as she kept quiet, settling against his side and closing her eyes once more. he hesitated before lowering his arm, pressing a kiss against her forehead.

she smiled slightly, falling asleep soon after she got comfortable. key turned on their television, turning the volume down as to not to disturb her. key closed his eyes as well, falling asleep with his arms wrapped around crystal’s smaller frame.

“so do you think they know?” onew stared at the two as taemin stood next to him.

“i’d hope so. crystal thinks highly of him and i know key-hyung feels the same.” taemin replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

later on that evening, crystal finally opened her eyes, staring at the wall across from the couch. she felt a hand on her side as she rolled over, staring up at a sleeping key.

scrambling, she sat up, her eyes wide as a dark blush covered her cheeks. key slowly woke up as she turned around, her eyes landing on him. he noticed she was up as he glanced at her.

“are you feeling better?” he asked, yawning. she nodded, the blush still eminent as he got a better look at her. “are you sure? you’re kind of red.”

“y-yes, i’m fine!” she smiled at him, laughing nervously. taemin passed by the room, stopping as he heard crystal’s voice.

“noona? you’re awake!” he bounded into the room, seeing her red face as she stared sheepishly at key. “ah! did you guys figure it out?”

“f-figure what out?” crystal asked, turning to look at him. key glanced back, a confused look on his face.

“about your guys’ feelings?” taemin tilted his head as their eyes went wide, a blush springing to key’s face before taemin smiled and turned around. “well, now you do!”

the maknae left, leaving the two by themselves as they glanced at each other.

“y-you…” crystal trailed off as key sighed, glancing away.

“yes, crystal.” he said, a small smile on his face. “i have had feelings for you for some time now.”

crystal tried to fight back the grin that slowly spread over her face. she launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around the older man’s frame. he caught her as she settled herself against him, pressing her lips against his. “i love you, key.”

“i love you too, crystal.” he replied, holding her close as she fell back asleep in his arms.


	4. sketches (onew)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "feelings on paper... that's all i can do."

“onew-oppa!” kelina called as she chased her older friend. “wait for me!”

onew stopped, turning around as his friend did the same. the girl’s lavender-coloured hair bounced as she ran towards him with a smile on her face. she smacked into him, wrapping her arms around the taller man as she laughed.

“you guys are so mean! i had to stop and help a caterpillar across the walkway!” she nuzzled her face into his chest as he chuckled softly.

“sorry, kel.” he hugged her back before she pulled away. “didn’t notice you stopped.”

kelina pouted, folding her arms across her chest. onew smiled at her as the others laughed quietly, starting to walk once more. she grabbed onew’s hand, pulling him along as they all walked back to guys’ place. it was a beautiful day, making kelina stare up at the cloudless sky. onew watched her quietly as the others talked amongst themselves.

“yah, kelina-noona!” taemin called over his shoulder, staring back at the older girl. she lowered her eyes, tilting her head as she looked back.

“yes, taemin?” she replied as he fell back, matching her stride. he latched himself onto her arm, smiling up at her.

“do you want to watch a movie with me when we get back?” he asked excitedly, his brown eyes wide as he hugged her arm.

“of course.” she replied, smiling down at her friend as he grinned, letting go of her to run back up to the others, joining their conversation once more. kelina glanced up at onew, her green eyes shining in the sunlight. “you’ll watch it with us, right?”

onew nodded silently, smiling as he squeezed her hand. she returned the smile, leaning against him as they walked. they arrived at the boys’ place shortly after as key pulled out the keys, unlocking the door and opening it. they filed in, slipping their shoes off at the door and walking farther inside. kelina followed suit, releasing onew’s hand as taemin grabbed her arm, pulling her to their movie case.

“which one should we watch, kel-noona?” he asked, his eyes darting over the movie titles. she crouched down, glancing at the different movies. some were in english, others in korean, as she tried to find one she would be able to enjoy as well as the others.

“what about this one?” she pulled a dvd case off the shelf, holding it up to show taemin. he grinned, taking it from her and putting the cd in the player, hopping onto the couch as the others sat down with him.

“onew-oppa!” she called, sitting on the floor. he walked over, a confused look on his face as she reached up for him. “help me up!”

he laughed, knowing she could be childish at times, despite being a few years younger than him. he bent down, wrapping his arms around her as she did the same, letting him lift her up. steadying her, he went to pull away until kelina tightened her grip, smiling happily. he stared down at her, his cheeks turning a slight pink as she glanced up at him.

“let me sit with you.” she said quietly, using her puppy-dog eyes. he stared back for a minute before nodding, a small smile on his face. she beamed happily, pulling him over to the couch. he sat down as she sat between him and taemin. key hit play on the remote, letting the movie start playing. kelina folded her legs underneath her, watching the opening credits appear on the screen.

as it progressed, she became more restless, noticing the others were absorbed in the movie. she lost interest as she glanced around, sliding off the couch. she scurried to her room, grabbing her sketchbook and pencils, along with her phone and headphones, before walking back out. they didn’t seem to notice she was gone as she shook her head, smiling at the group of boys. she sat down behind the couch, leaning against it as she plugged her headphones into her cell phone, turning on some music.

she started sketching a small scene that was playing through her head. she started with the first person, making it look like they were facing away from the page she drew the base for the girl before moving on to the guy that would be standing next to her. she made them hold hands as they looked at each other with happy, loving expressions. a small smile found its way onto her face as she started adding detail, drawing the clothes and the hair. once she was done, she sat back, admiring her work as onew turned around, staring over the edge of the couch at her drawing. he recognized the people instantly as she set her pencil down, unaware of his watching.

“kel?” he tapped her shoulder, causing her to jump and pull out one of her headphones as she looked up. her face turned a bright red as he continued to stare at the drawing.

“y-yes, onew-oppa?” she said quietly, pushing the drawing behind her.

“who was that?” he asked quietly, tilting his head to the side. his brown eyes flicked over to her as he waited for a response.

“i-it was-- they were-- nothing!” she stuttered, her face turning red as he leaned over the couch, one of his arms extended as he brushed his fingers against her nose.

“don’t lie to me. all your drawings mean something.” he murmured, letting his hand linger against her cheek.

“well…”

“kel-noona!”

onew cringed as he retracted his hand quickly, turning back around. kelina stared, a confused look on her face as she turned to where taemin was staring at her from over the couch.

“there you are! i wondered where you went. what are you doing back there? you missed most of the movie!” he asked, keeping his voice down as to not disturb the others. kelina glanced back at her drawing before sighing and picking it up.

“sorry, taemin. i lost interest. i’ll be in my room if you need me.” she replied, standing up and walking back towards her room. taemin watched her before turning back towards the movie.

‘i should’ve known he would see past my facade.’ she thought as she laid on her bed, letting the sketchbook fall to the ground as it landed, drawing up. she closed her eyes, her arm outstretched as she listened to the movie come to an end from the other room. the others fought over what they were going to watch next as she sighed, shaking her head. ‘just like kids, sometimes.’

taemin escaped the chaos as he walked quietly to kelina’s room, peeking his head into the room.

“kelina-noona?”

kelina opened her eyes, glancing over at him as he walked in shyly. he noticed the drawing laying on the ground as he bent over, picking it up.

“is this you and onew-hyung?” he asked, holding it up towards her. she stayed quiet, a small blush creeping onto her face.

“what makes you think that?” she replied, her heart rate speeding up slightly.

“it looks like you guys.” he said, tilting his head as he turned the drawing back towards him, staring at it. “do you like onew-hyung?”

“he’s a friend, of course i like him.” she huffed, knowing exactly what he meant. taemin raised his eyebrows, staring at kelina without a word. she sighed, pulling her knees to her chest. “yes, i suppose i do.”

“why don’t you tell him?”

kelina’s eyes grew slightly sad as he handed her the drawing. she took it, staring at the couple as taemin waited for a response.

“what if he doesn’t like me back?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. taemin grinned as he turned around.

“you’ll never know if you don’t try.”

kelina watched him walk out, staring at the empty doorway as his words bounced around in her head.

‘could he really like a girl like me?’ she thought, frowning. onew knocked on the wall as he came around the corner, a slightly worried look on his face. kelina shut the sketchbook quickly, straightening herself out. “hello, onew-oppa.”

“key wanted to know if you were hungry.” he said quietly, his hands clasped behind his back.

“a little bit, yes.” she replied.

onew nodded before turning around, stopping himself. “k-kel?”

kelina raised her eyebrows as he turned around, his cheeks tinted a pink colour. he hesitated, glancing at her with wide eyes.

“nevermind.” he said, walking out towards the others. she frowned as she threw her legs over the edge of her bed, following him out. she stopped in the doorway as the boys talked to each other. no one noticed her as she stood quietly, realizing that key wasn’t in the room. she went to look for him, finding him in the kitchen.

“hey, key.” she said quietly as she stepped into the kitchen. key turned around, smiling at her as he made a small sandwich.

“hello there.” he turned around, plate in his hand as he walked over to her, holding the plate out. “this is for you.”

she took it, a confused look on her face. “for me? what about the others?”

“they weren’t that hungry.” he shrugged. “so since you were, i decided to make you something.”

she set the plate down on the table close to them, sitting down. key followed suit, sitting next to her as she frowned. “you didn’t have to do that, you know.”

“i know, but i wanted to. plus, onew asked me to.” he smiled at her, motioning for her to eat.

she picked up the sandwich, taking a bite as she thought about what he said. “onew did?”

key nodded, folding his arms on the table. “he just wanted to make sure you were fed before anything happened that might take away from that. he cares for you.”

kelina lowered her sandwich, thinking about what taemin said. “he cares for me, huh…?”

the boy next to her nodded, resting his chin on his arms. “i can tell you do as well. seems like you both have some sort of feelings towards each other.”

kelina coughed, almost choking on her recent bite as she laid the sandwich down, swallowing hard. “f-feelings?”

key sat up, concerned. “well, don’t you like onew-hyung?”

“y-ye, but we’re friends. plus i don’t know how he feels.” she admitted, staring down at her food. key smiled happily, placing a hand on her arm.

“you won’t know until you try.” he replied, standing up and walking out of the room. kelina sighed, finishing her food and joining the others with a small smile. onew turned around, noticing her.

“kel! come here!” he said, motioning her over. she obliged, standing in front of him. the others smiled at her as they were sprawled out on the couch, forcing onew to the far end. kelina looked around, trying to find a place to sit until onew tugged on her sleeve. she glanced back at him as he opened his arms, patting his lap for her to sit. she sat down tentatively as he wrapped his arms around her, resting his head against her back. “are you going to tell me who was in the drawing, yet?”

“i-i told you it was nothing!” she stuttered quietly, resting her arms on top of his. it wasn’t anything new for him to want to sit like they were. she didn’t mind it at all, either. she slowly relaxed as the others laughed at their own jokes. she could make out some of what they said, but the rest she didn’t understand quite yet.

onew closed his eyes, listening to his friend’s breathing as he held her close. she watched the others, sometimes emitting a soft laugh if she allowed it. he started to doze off from being so comfortable.

“kel?”

she turned her head slightly, glancing back at him. “yes, onew-oppa?”

“you know i like you, right?” he asked sleepily. she twisted in his arms, causing him to lift his head as he started to awaken again.

“well, yeah. we’re friends.” she replied, tilting her head. the chatter had died down slightly as they watched the other two. worry crossed onew’s face as he shook his head.

“that’s not…” he hesitated, staring at the girl in front of him. “i didn’t mean it like that.”

“then what did you mean?” kelina asked, brushing some hair out of his face. he sighed, raising one of his hands and wrapping it around hers.

“kel… i-”

taemin shifted, bumping into kelina and causing her to jerk towards onew. she caught herself, hands on either side of him as they stared at each other, only inches away. the room went quiet as the two stared at each other. onew frowned momentarily before closing the gap between them, pressing his lips against hers gently. kelina responded instantly, leaning into the kiss as her arms snaked around his neck.

the others grinned, high-fiving each other as the two broke apart, both blushing furiously. kelina buried her face in onew’s neck as he glanced over at the others, a smile on his face as he held her close. they grinned back before turning on the television.

“i love you, onew.” she whispered, grinning against him.

“i love you, too, kel.” he replied, kissing her head softly.


	5. sweatshirts and kisses (minho x reader)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "i got you this!"

you walked the vibrant streets of the korean city, taking in the atmosphere. you had your hands in your pockets as your eyes scanned the variety of shops. deciding to stop in one, you looked around the clothing store you stepped into, thinking about buying something for one of your closest friends.

today, you were going to watch shinee’s dance session. you had grown very close to them overtime, eventually spending every day you could with them. glancing around the store, you spotted the men’s section, heading in that direction. you tried to find something your friend key would wear, knowing the fashion diva was very picky with his choice of clothing. spotting some sweatshirts, you walked over, wondering if one of your other friends, minho, would wear them. picking one up, you checked the price and size, deciding to get it as you walked to find a place to check out.

you thanked the woman working at the register as you paid and walked out of the store, bag slung around your arm as you went along. the sun was just barely starting to warm things up, despite the cold weather that was predicted for that day. sighing, you pulled your coat up a little farther, trying to block out the wind that was nipping at your cheeks.

you kept your eyes upward, glancing at the buildings as you progress in your journey. finally, the familiar building that held the dance studio for the famous k-pop band. speeding your steps up, your hair bounced with every stride you took. upon reaching the door, you wrapped a hand around the handle, opening the door and stepping out of the cold weather. you looked around, trying to remember which way to go. hearing the faint sound of music, you decided to follow it, the music getting louder as you neared. sliding open one of the doors, you saw your friends practicing their most recent dance. watching with curiosity-filled eyes, you shut the door quietly, leaning against the wall as you set the bag down.

a few hours later, they finally stopped their practice, grabbing towels from a small bucket and drying themselves off. they started chatting amongst themselves, unaware of your presence as you walked over.

“that was great you guys!” you said, swinging the bag next to your side as they glanced over at you. grinning, they all greeted you as they dragged you into their conversation.

“what should we do? we still have a lot of time before the sun starts setting.” the maknae, taemin, asked as his eyes sparkled with wonder.

“i’m not quite sure.” onew replied as his stomach suddenly growled. you laughed quietly as the others followed along, causing onew’s face to heat up in embarrassment.

“i think we should get something to eat.” you suggested, smiling at your friends. they all made sounds of agreement as you led the way back towards the door. falling into step with you, minho bumped against you playfully, smiling down at you.

“let’s go to the café!” key announced as they exited the building, taking lead as the other three nodded and walked on either side of him. you trailed behind with minho, enjoying the warmer breeze that whisked through the air.

“did you enjoy today’s session?” minho asked, his deep voice quiet as he spoke to you. you nodded, looking up at him with a smile.

“you guys did great!” you said enthusiastically. you noticed the small blush the crept onto his face as he looked away. remembering the bag in your hand, you let out a small oh! as you held it out to him. “i got this for you!”

minho looked back at you, glancing down at the bag. “me?”

you nodded, pushing it into his hands as he pulled open the bag. he tugged the sweatshirt out of the plastic, holding it up so he could see. it was a dark blue sweatshirt with grey sleeves and a small phrase scrawled in korean across the front. he smiled, folding it back up and placing it back in the bag.

“thank you.” minho said, thanking you quietly. you grinned, walking closer to him so you were pressed against him. soon reaching the café, you wandered in after the others, finding a seat away from the group. minho followed, sitting across from you at the small table. the waitress walked up shortly after, pulling out her pen and paper so she could take your orders.

after ordering, you and minho chatted idly about things, not really focusing on one subject. you noticed he kept glancing away from you, like he was nervous about something.

“minho? are you alright?” you asked quietly, reaching across the table and touching his hand to get his attention. “hey, earth to minho.”

he snapped out of his daze, looking back at you as you retracted your hand. a worried look was sprawled across your face as you waited for a reply.

chuckling quietly, he nodded. “yes, i’m fine. no need to look so worried.”

you felt your face heat up as you looked away, trying to hide the blush that was emerging. the waitress came back with your orders, placing them on the table and walking away. you picked up the chopsticks, still not quite used to them as you fumbled with the metal utensils. minho watched with amusement as you grumbled under your breath, finally getting them in a comfortable position. you looked up at minho, raising an eyebrow questioningly as he laughed softly.

“what’s so funny?”

“nah, don’t worry about it.” he waved a hand dismissively as he dug into his food. you did the same, glancing up at him every now and then to remind him you didn’t believe his lie.

“where did you want to go after this?” minho asked, tilting his head as he picked up another bite. “we still have some time.”

you chewed thoughtfully, swallowing your food before answering. “how about the park, just you and me? we haven’t had any time to hang out lately.”

minho nodded in agreement, finishing his food as you did the same. standing up, minho pulled out his wallet, walking over to man working the cash register as he pulled out some money. after paying, you walked out, standing close to minho as you regained your bearings. the other four had already disappeared, most likely going back to their dorm to rest for the night. minho held out his arm, offering it to you as you glanced up at him with a surprised expression.

“shall we go?” minho asked. you nodded, ignoring the butterflies that rose up in your stomach as you settled your hand in the crook of his arm. you both walked in silence, enjoying each others presence, as it was rare you two had a moment to yourselves. you glanced up at minho, noticing his peaceful expression. laying your head against his arm, you thought about telling him how you really felt, wondering if he even remotely felt the same way. sure, you two were close, but you acted more like siblings than anything.

reaching the park, minho led you through the gates, startling along the path to the center of the park. the sun was starting to set, sending an array of pinks, oranges, and yellows across the sky. the bench at the top of the hill came into view, and you noticed it was empty. you looked back up at minho, who was now watching you from the corner of his eye. his brown eyes closed as he smiled, bumping against your side playfully. you smiled back at him, pulling him up the hill as you retracted your hand, sliding it into his and intertwining your fingers together. unaware of the blush that was appearing on minho’s face, you walked up to the bench, sitting down as minho did the same.

the sun was slowly disappearing from sight, leaving a dark blue sky behind it. the first stars started to emerge, twinkling in the dark sky. you stared up at them, your hair falling back as you tilted your head up. minho watched quietly, smiling as your face twisted into awe as more stars came into view.

“isn’t it pretty?” you said quietly, subconsciously reaching out towards him to get his attention. minho took the chance, taking your hand into his as you snapped out of your trance. glancing over at him, you noticed his eyes were slanted upwards, the blush still eminent on his cheeks as he pulled the sweatshirt you bought him over his head..

“minho.”

his eyes darted over to you as you spoke, your face turned away from him. he leaned forward, trying to see your face as you spoke.

“we’re close friends, right?”

his eyebrows furrowed as you asked, causing him to wonder what was wrong. he squeezed your hand, making you look at him as the concern crossed his face. “of course. what makes you ask that?”

you ignored his question, continuing on with your own. “nothing will come between us, will it?”

minho rested a hand on your cheek as he stared at you, searching your face for answers to his unasked questions. you closed your eyes, leaning into his hand with a small smile.

“hey, is something wrong?”

opening one of your eyes, you stared at him, still smiling. “no, minho. nothing is wrong.” you leaned forward, pressing your forehead against his with a small sigh. minho’s hand fell, finding a place against your side as you closed your eyes again. “there’s just so much i want to tell you.”

he was frozen to the spot, not used to being this close to you. slowly, he wrapped his arms around you, pulling him closer to you. your eyes were still closed as minho’s heart raced. his eyelids fell halfway as he raised a hand to press against your back. gently, he pressed his lips to yours, sending the butterflies through you once more as you instinctively melted into his kiss.

once he pulled back, your eyes fluttered open. “m-minho?”

he kept quiet for a moment before sighing softly. “i’m sorry. i shouldn’t have done that without knowing-”

you practically leapt back into his arms, crashing your lips against his as you cut him off. he took a moment to recover before returning the kiss, wrapping his arms around you once more.

“i love you, minho.” you said, using his name without the title. he pressed another kiss to your lips before replying.

“i love you, too.”


	6. key x oc [nightmares and tears]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "i had a nightmare."
> 
> "i'd never hurt you."

_ silence. that’s all harusi could hear as she ran from her assailants. she glanced behind her, eyes widening as she watched them gain on her. her foot caught on a crack in the pavement, causing her to fly forward and land face-first on the ground. pushing herself up after regaining herself, she wiped her mouth on the back of her hand, seeing a streak of blood in the streetlight close to her. _

_ “there you are.” harusi’s eyes snapped up as she saw her best friend, key, standing in front of her. “i’ve been looking for you!” _

_ “key!” she scrambled to her feet, clinging to his thin frame. “help me!” _

_ “it’s alright, i’m here.” he replied, wrapping his arms around her body. she started to feel safe as he tightened his grip slowly, as to not cause panic. eventually, harusi realized she couldn’t breathe as she clawed at his back. _

_ “i can’t breathe! key, stop!” she pounded on his back to try and get him to loosen up but he kept his grip, keeping silent as her vision started to turn black._

* * *

“wake up. come on, rusi.”

harusi jerked away from the hand on her arm, her eyes flew open as she fought to breathe. she sat up quickly, her hand fluttering over her chest as someone placed a hand on her back. she slowly regained herself, calming down as she glanced over at the person who was next to her. her best friend, key, sat on the bed next to her, worry written on his face as he stared.

“you finally came around. thank goodness.” he said with a sigh, retracting his hand as harusi turned towards him. “i heard you making noise, so i decided to check on you.”

harsui stared quietly, unable to speak at the moment. key rested his hands in his lap, glancing down at the floor. she had been living with him and his friends ever since she left her home. she placed a hand on his arm, a soft sigh escaping her. they sat in silence until she was able to speak.

“i’m sorry for waking you.” harusi said quietly, her blue eyes flicking up to her friend’s face. “it was just a nightmare.”

“what was it this time?” he asked, turning towards her and placing a hand over hers, squeezing her hand.

harusi grew quiet, the nightmare flashing through her mind. she sat back a little bit, frowning. the lamp next to them sent a soft glow through the room. illuminating the shadows. she shook her head, trying to pull away from him.

“what is it? what’s wrong?” he asked, tugging her back to him. she stared at him, a pained look on her face. “what happened?”

“key…”

he stared for a moment before realizing why she wouldn’t tell him. “i was in it, wasn’t i?”

she nodded, scooting back slightly. she knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but the nightmare stayed with her and clouded her reason.

“rusi, i’m sorry.” he reached out, a sad look on his face. “you know i will never do anything to hurt you.”

he leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her body and pulling her close. she allowed him, leaning against him and sighing softly. “i know you won’t, key.”

he rested his chin against her head as he lifted her into his lap, rubbing her arm comfortingly. she closed her eyes, listening to the sound of his heartbeat as she tried to push the haunting thoughts out of her mind. key started to hum one of their songs to her, knowing she loved listening to them. a smile crept onto her face as she listened, letting herself slowly drift to sleep.

harusi opened her eyes to bright sunlight, causing her to throw an arm over her face to block it out. she turned over, coming face-to-face with her friend. her breathing faltered as she stared at his sleeping expression. his hair was tossed about, probably from moving around in his sleep. she felt her cheeks start to heat up as she turned onto her back again.

‘what is he doing in here?’ she thought, recalling the previous night’s events. ‘that’s right...’

harusi sat up gently, trying not to wake the sleeping boy next to her. she looked back at him, smiling as she reached forward, brushing some of his hair down. key shifted closer to her, wrapping himself around her as she continued running her hands through his hair subconsciously. eventually, he opened his eyes, staring up at the distant girl.

“good morning, rusi.” he said quietly, taking her hand into his and sitting up next to her. she snapped out of her trance, her eyes following his movements as he smiled at her.

“yeah, morning.” she replied, returning the smile. she reached up with her free hand, untangling parts of his hair. she lowered her hand slightly, brushing her fingers against his cheek as she grew distant once more. key stared at her, resting his cheek against her hand. “why did you stay here?”

key remained in his position as he closed his eyes, a small sigh escaping his lips. “i wanted to make sure you didn’t have another nightmare.”

harusi tilted her head, her shoulder-length brown hair falling to the side. “you know i never do when you’re around.”

key nodded, lifting his head and staring back at her with a small frown. “i care about you, rusi. i don’t like seeing you in pain.”

harusi’s eyes widened momentarily as a light pink colour dusted her cheeks. even though she knew already, it was the first time he ever admitted it.

key noticed her blush, reaching up with his free hand and brushing his thumb across her cheek. “did you not know that?”

harusi snapped back to attention as he left his hand on her cheek. “o-of course i knew. what kind of friend would i be if i didn’t?”

he chuckled quietly, sighing afterwards. “you have a point. come on, get dressed. i’m sure the others are up and starving by now. and you know how they hate to feed themselves.”

harusi laughed softly as key pulled her off the bed, touching her nose with his finger before leaving the room and heading to his own to do the same. harusi shut her door, just noticing her racing heart. she’s had feelings for key for years, but she didn’t know how he felt at all. sighing softly, she walked over to her closet, opening it and pulling out a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt with a graphic of a puppy and a kitten.

after changing, she folded her pajamas and left them on her bed, opening her door to find key waiting for her.

“you’re done.” he smiled at her, taking her hand in his and intertwining his fingers through hers. “let’s go.”

“y-yeah.” she replied shortly, fighting back the blush that threatened to rise once more.

“what are you in the mood for?” he asked as they went down the stairs. the others were already on the huge couch they had in the main room. “what about you guys?”

“the usual!” they all said in unison, keeping their eyes on the television as it played one of their favorite movies. key’s hand left harusi as he went to the kitchen to start cooking. harusi stood at the bottom of the stairway awkwardly. she still didn’t know korean that well, so she had no idea what was going on in the movie.

“yah, rusi! come here!’ taemin said, turning around as reaching for her. she stepped around the couch as he grabbed her, pulling her down into his lap and wrapping his arms around her waist, resting his head on her shoulder.

“eh…”

taemin smiled at her, pushing his face into her hair. she sat stiff as the others glanced over at them. onew shook his head as he smiled at her, turning his attention back to the movie. the others said nothing as key walked into the room with two plates of food. he almost dropped them as he saw harusi sitting on taemin’s lap. stiffening, he retained his smile as he handed onew and jonghyun the plates. they thanked him and sat the plates down on their lap, waiting for the others to get their food. key came back with three more plates, handing one to minho and the other two to taemin and harusi before walking away. harusi watched him walk away with a confused look on her face. he came back with his plate, his gaze locking with harusi as he entered the room. they stared for a moment before key broke it, sitting next to taemin and quietly eating his food.

harusi’s back was to him, and she was still trapped by taemin’s arms, so she couldn’t see what was going on with her friend. taemin lifted his head from harusi’s shoulder as he ate, his eyes glued to the television screen. she glanced at him before sighing and proceeding to eat her own food. it was the first time she had key’s cooking in months. she took her first bite of the fluffy pancakes, her eyes fluttering shut in happiness. twisting in taemin’s arms, she clamped a hand onto key’s leg with a smile.

“this is amazing, key!”

his eyes darted to her before he looked away, his face remaining the same. she lifted her hand before she tilted her head. he looked back, a small smile forming on his face.

“thank you, rusi.” he replied quietly. she grinned back, nodding before turning around to finish her food. taemin had already finished his, staring at his empty plate with a childlike pout.

“already done, taeminnie?” she teased him, poking his nose with the end of her fork. he nodded, staring at her food hungrily. she laughed, cutting off a small piece of her food and holding it towards him. he opened his mouth, his eyes flicking up to hers as he took the food into his mouth, smiling happily. key watched them, shaking his head as he got up, taking the others’ empty plates and heading to the kitchen.

“you’re the best, rusi!” taemin replied as she gave him half of her food.

“i can’t turn down that face of yours.” she laughed as key came back, taking her plate from her with a distant look. she looked up at him, her smile faltering as she saw his look before he turned away. taemin buried his face in her neck as she turned towards the door, watching key walk away once more. “is he okay?”

“he’s just jealous.” taemin mumbled quietly, closing his eyes. she frowned as she heard the movie come to an end.

“jealous?” harusi repeated quietly. “of what?”

the maknae didn’t reply, instead nuzzled her neck like a cat as he sighed. key walked back in the room, standing against the doorframe as he stared at harusi. she stayed quiet as taemin rested his head against her chest. key’s eyes locked with hers, causing her to flush, embarrassed, as her heart sped up slightly. taemin opened his eyes, lifting his head and glancing at harusi, who continued to stare at key. he looked back just as key left. he raised his hands, threading them through harusi’s hair as he stared at her.

“does harusi like key?”

the others glanced over, the question catching their attention as harusi froze, her eyes widening.

“w-what makes you ask?” she whispered. key froze at the bottom of the stairs.

“i heard your heartbeat.” taemin replied simply, twisting the ends of her hair around each other as he braided it. she fought back the blush that threatened to arise as they all waited for her answer.

“n-n-no.” she stuttered, instantly feeling bad for lying to them. key lowered his head as he went up the stairs, going to his room and shutting the door. taemin stared at harusi, releasing her as they heard the door shut. her eyes widened as tears sprung to her eyes. scrambling off of taemin’s lap, she bolted up the stairs, slowing down as she reached key’s room.

‘he had to have heard it.’ she thought to herself as she raised her fist to knock on his door. tapping against the door quietly, she pressed an ear to his door. “key? are you there?”

she heard shuffling, then silence as she tapped once more. “key, i know you’re in there. please, talk to me.”

the boy inside spoke, but it was too muffled to be heard. she sighed, pushing herself off of the door and placing a hand on the doorknob. ‘i’m sorry for this, key.’

she twisted the knob, pushing the door open as she squeezed her eyes shut. it was quiet as she stood in the doorway, eyes closed. key stared at her with tear-filled eyes as he sat curled on his bed, surrounded by his blankets. harusi opened her eyes slowly, staring at key with an apologetic look. she stepped inside, closing the door behind her quietly. she turned back around, sighing softly as she stepped over to the side of the bed key was sitting.

“may i sit down?” she asked quietly, earning a small nod from her friend. she sat on the bed gently, casting her eyes down. “i’m really sorry, key.”

he remained curled up, his knees against his chest. harusi wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, brushing it against her leg. they sat in silence as key stared at her. she lifted her head, glancing towards him through her hair.

“i didn’t… if i knew you were still there, i wouldn’t have said what i did.” she told him, turning her eyes towards the ceiling. “i wouldn’t… have lied.”

key rubbed at his eyes, blinking back tears as he unfolded his legs, reaching out and grabbing her shirt. she looked at him as he started pulling her towards him, lifting her and placing her in his lap. wrapping his arms around her, he buried his face in her neck, his body shaking from holding back his sobs.

“key…” she lifted an arm, holding him close as she ran her fingers through his hair. “please on’t cry. i didn’t mean it.”

she continued to speak to him, trying to soothe her best friend. eventually, his body stopped shaking, allowing him to breathe normally as he looked up at her. she smiled sadly at him, her fingers latching themselves in his hair as she sighed.

“i apologize it took me this long to tell you.” she said, staring at him, searching his face for anything. “i really do love you. i just didn’t want to ruin our friendship on the chance you didn’t feel the same.”

key frowned, reaching up and placing his hands on either side of her face. he pulled her down, his lips crashing onto hers. she made a muffled noise of surprise before allowing herself to return the kiss. tears welled up at the corner of her eyes, trailing down her cheeks as they pulled away.

“nothing could ever ruin our friendship. it’ll only make it stronger.” key said softly, brushing the tears out of her eyes. “rusi, i do love you. you have nothing to be afraid of.”


End file.
